Of Blood and Snow
by LNIYE
Summary: Rouge has been sent by her Boss for a horrible assignment, kill Knuckles. She realises she just... can't... RougeXKnux... But does Knuckles share those feelings?
1. Between Rain Clouds

Hello, you who managed to stumble on my horrible story on which you will regret spending time on when you will be done reading… First, let me explain my current situation. I am terribly sick, kept at home by an illness that will not let me leave my bedroom , or at least the first floor of my home. The principal things I can do are… Thinking, sleeping, eating, listen to music, and when the illness wants it, play on my game cube… My throat is so sore that I have troubles speaking.

So… That story was written as I was sick. It is a sad story, and please, excuse me for sending such a horrible story. And the atmosphere is worse since the music I have listened to was… you know… Sad and pretty romantic…

So please, send me a review or a flame, I do not care. I know it is a bad fic, and… My god, where are my manners? I mean… If you have enough time to give me a comment, good or bad, please do. I know this story will not last long, and I would like to know why. Do not hesitate!

_And one last thing:_ If you see spelling mistakes, could you be kind enough to tell me, in a review? I am still trying to improve my english, you know…

Disclaimer : Nothing belongs to me. Stories like this one had been made a thousand times before, so I am not even sure I can say the plot is mine. Stupid romance, bad plot… You will never come back here, I can guarantee…

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First Chapter: Between Rain Clouds

Rouge's Point of View…

Government Spy is not an easy job, you know? You have to do things that you would never do in normal times, dangerous, life-threatening assignements on which you could survive only if you had the wits and the brains to come out alive, and finally…

Finally, sometimes your boss told you to get rid of a person you learned to care for, someone you liked and simply could not kill, someone who, you would realize later, did not deserve death. This is what happened on this day.

My boss called me early that winter morning for a mission. The phone rang, waking me from a wnderful dream about my family and about shiny jewels.I stretched and yawned, and answered the phone beside me, on a little table.

" Hello?"

My voice was tired and weak. I was the kind of person who could sleep for almost twelve hours in a row, even if I hardly had the occasion.

" Hello, Rouge.I have an assignment for you."

" Have you seen what hour it is? "

My boss did not answered. He simply told me to meet him at his office., and he hung up the phone. I looked at my clock : it was 5 am…

After I took a nice shower and a nicely done breakfast, I went to see my boss, the president.

" Rouge, this is quite a simple task. I want you to kill the Echidna."

"… Excuse me? Which Echidna?"

That was a really stupid question. There was only one Echidna left. I… I could not do it, he… I mean, he is alone, there is no one left to protect the jewel he is keeping, I mean… For God's sake, I am not a murderer! I am a spy!

This is what I should have said… My words were different.

"So… What is his life worth ? " I asked.

" If you succeed, you will get fifty thousand."

Ridiculous! A life could not have a price! This I learned later. I did not realised that if I had killed him, I would not be able to forget… All the things that would have made me a murderer, that would have made me feel guilty…

His blood on my hands… The curses he would shriek to me… The sparkle in his syes that would slowly dim… His cry of pain in the night… His last whisper… The life flowing out of his wounds… All the treasures of the world would never make me forget that I killed someone I would learn to care for…

I could not live with the thought that I betrayed someone who cared for me…

" Why can't you send someone else?"

" You know him. And I am sure you can make him trust you."

I nodded, and smiled. There was a nice fee on that job, and it was the only thing I considered, as well as the thought of all the things I could buy with that money. I was already thinking of the most beautiful dress I had seen in a boutique, as well as the jewellery that would come with it, as well as the impressed glances of my friends. But somehow, there was something wrong in my vision. The eyes of a peculiar person were not staring at me, making me upset. I thought it was because a girl I did not like that much was not looking at me with jealous eyes, in my reflexion. I added her in my thoughts. Still, it did not satisfied me… Why? Yes, why?

" Count me in, Boss! Consider him… Dead."

My souvenirs of Angel's Island were…The Master Emerald came first, followed by its devoted guardian. I had heard about it,but I never saw it with my own eyes. Everyone who came back from there spoke of its beauty with passion, as if there was nothing more fantastic than the natural wonder this Island was. Under the snow, it was surely magnificent. I went back at home, to pack a couple of things, such as clothing, some little things to eat, my hair brush, you know, all these little things a girl needed if she wanted to survive three weeks far away from all civilisation and mall centers. The plan was simple. Some men were supposed to bring me up there on an helicopter, and then drop me on the surface of the Island, where my prey could find me.As for my bag, I had to tell him that my boss had told me that I was going on a mission, but then he betrayed me and abandonned me on the Island, threatening me to end my life if he saw me again.

That Echidna was so gullible, he would never doubt my words…

We were heading to the Floating Island. There were two boys with me. The pilot, and a friend of mine, whose name was Spike.

" Okay, Rouge. The Boss wants a classical death, something quick and discreet."

I sighed. The word " Classical" always meant…

" A knife.," I said, skeptic.

The weapon was handed to me, and I put it in my bag. Next, we were above the Island. We executed our plan. Spike threw me from the helicopter, and I fell, as if I was not conscious. The helicopter left at great speed. I fell in a lake of icy pure blue water. After at least twenty seconds, arms pulled me out of the water. I acted as if I was still unconscious, waiting for a reaction. I knew who it was, and I had confirmation when he spoke.

" It has been some time, Rouge."

Which memories did I had of him? Deep violet eyes, blood red color, dark and calm voice, mysterious natural scent, lonesome attitude, impressive strenght, clever, silent and… and… So lonely, and tragical, and… The poor guy I was supposed to kill. And then, an image went like a flash in my mind. I could see us, above some flames, on a narrow beam. Then, I tripped and fell. When I thought I was a goner, those powerful arms caught me_, and saved me as they now did._ He looked at me with concern, as if the most precious little thing of his life nearly died in front of him…

No. It was impossible, he could not care for me… But then… Why did he saved me, that day, four months ago? Oh… yeah… For the Master Emerald…

He brought me somewhere dry and warm, and he left me, surely waiting for me to wake up. As soon as the sound of his steps vanished, I opened my eyes, got on my feet and I started to look around myself. I was in what looked like an ancient temple. I was surrounded by savage flowers and moss as green as the Master Emerald. There was a little pool of water nearby. The sun was coming through a really big… the only word I can think about is window, in the ceiling, but the snow did not seem to get in. There were two trees on which grew tasty looking fruits. The air was misty, so we could clearly see the sun's rays. It was breath taking, and I could understand all the people who acted as if they had seen the most beautiful things of the world. My face was reflecting only one emotion. Pure wonder, before such beauty and silence.

" I know," said a voice behind me.

I jumped. His voice surprised me. I spun around. I did not hear him coming.

" … I know that it is not a place to bring… uh… Ladies."

I smiled, remembering the old times. But my smile froze when the sad truth came to me. I had to kill him with a knife. I was not here to remind myself of the good old days.

"… It is so beautiful here," I commented. " But I have most important matters at hand. I think my Boss sent people to kill me."

I started to pray.Until he gave me an answer.

" Really? You can stay here if you want, I mean, if you are in danger, I must at least try to help you."

I felt guilty to lie to him. I felt like it was not right. It was ridiculous, I was used to lie all the time. So why should I say the horrible truth to him?

" Thank you… Knuckles."

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So? How was it? Pathetic, stupid, boring… Share your thoughts with me, and be as honest as you can…


	2. Please Stay

**Of Blood and Snow**

Hi there, it has been some time since i wrote, I am really sorry. I feel much better now, even if I am still sick. I always am, you know...

Okay, I will now answer some comments I recieved. Oh, and... do not be surprised if I changed the title.

Darkhyms : Thank you really much for your help.

ShadowIsCool : O.O Oh please, if you kill me, I won't be able to update anymore. And I like Knuckles too...

Chaos King : Kill Knuckles ( insert kill bill theme )! Do not make a conclusion yet...

Turquoise Moonlight : There. I updated. Are you happy?

EagleFox : Really? You do like it? Oh, I know. You are eagerly waiting for Knuckles to be dead...

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Second Chapter_ : _Please Stay_

_Knuckles' Point of View..._

I did not really miss her, you know. In my mind, she was just yet an other threat for me and my Master Emerald. I know it sounds unemotional, but it sadly is the truth. I thought it was a good thing that I saved her from drowning, but now, she was asking me to stay at my sides, scared of those people who she thought were trying to kill her. Sonic always told me that I was so damn gullible, and I was now wondering if he was right, wondering if she was trying to trick me.

Anyway, nobody could fool me without paying afterwards...

She was in front of me, staring at the trees, the window, the stream, and I could guess that she was impressed by such beauty.

- '' It is so beautiful here, '' she said, '' But I have most important matters at hand. I think my boss sent people to kill me. ''

That was weird. Rouge is not the kind of girl who would seek help from a boy such as I. She is really tough, and I still remember how dangerous she is when she fights. I still had bruises from our last fight, and I hardly ever felt such adrenaline flow in me before that day. I could still feel pain where she did hurt me. But even though she fought with great energy and strenght, I saved her when she was in danger. I saved her, even if she could have simply spread her wings. If she had done this, maybe she would have kept the Emerald. I do not know if she was grateful. But she did give me my Emerald. The least I could do was to help her out.

- '' Really? You can stay here if you want. If you are in danger, I must at least try to help you. ''

She smiled with some kind of melancholy, as she came a bit nearer to me.

- '' Thank you... Knuckles... ''

I looked at her, trying to see if she was wounded. She raised an eyebrow. I was concerned, as weird as it could seem. I hate to think that I saved someone who was in danger again. I hate to think that saving her life was useless...

- '' What is it? '' she asked.

I raised my eyes, to look in hers. They were icy blue, really cold, but still pretty seductive, as if her parents raised her to be like this, to be beautiful for the sole purpose to make it easy for her to manipulate people. She was beautiful. Not exactly my kind, but still very pretty. She had those big blue eyes, nice white fur, a nice body... But she had a bit too much makeup for my own personal tastes... She was also wearing some kind of black pants with a white, tight shirt. She had a great sense of taste.

- '' Are you hurt, Rouge? '' I asked. '' I saw you fall, so... ''

Her eyes widened, and then she smiled. She interrupted me.

- '' I am okay. Remember? I fell in water.''

- '' Oh, yes, it seems obvious.''

She laughed. That really was strange. She laughed for no reason, and her smile seemed so sincere, as if she was trying to be natural, but she was trying so much that it seemed obvious. You know what I mean? I crossed my arms, looking suspicious.

- '' Rouge, you really seem happy. Is there any reason why? A reason that you could tell me?''

She nodded.

- '' Yes, I... I feel happy. To see you again.''

Okay, I definitely had to change the subject.That was just too weird.

- '' Are you hungry, Rouge? You may eat something, if you are. ''

- '' No, but I am cold, and a bit tired. Remember your duties... Go back to your Emerald, I will be just fine. I will just... curl in some comfortable place. I will lay on the grass, because I cannot see any bed...''

I smiled, a smile that was almost impossible to see, as I turned my back to leave her. I could not afford to sleep in a bed. I did not have any money to buy one, and... well, if I spent my night in a bed, I would not be able to sleep on the Master Emerald's altar afterward.

I went outside of the temple, to then approach the Emerald. It really was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and it was not that cold. My Island was always surrounded by dark rain clouds, and it was often raining or snowing. I curled up in front of the jewel, and I closed my eyes, relaxing. I lived so long in the silence, that I had an excellent auditive acuity. I could see pretty well in the dark, and strong light always seemed painful. I always knew how to survive alone, and I now had to learn how to protect someone else, how to survive in such a situation.

I dreamt. I dreamt of my past life. I still had memories of the past, but those images were really murky. I dreamt of something warm and conforting, arms that were holding me, as a feminine voice was singing a lullaby. It must have been my mother. And then, I saw a body sinking in water, and I felt like crying, but I did not. Tears never fell on my cheeks. It was like a malediction. I was cursed to never cry, even for my own mother. As I was staring at the person who was sinking, I heard a detonation of gun fire, which was not a part of my dream. In one second, my eyes opened, and I jolted on my feet ( I slept only one hour. ). Somebody was trying to harm me!

I looked around me, and I spotted the people who were preying on me. I saw two men pointing their guns on me. The bullet which missed me hit the altar. I saw Rouge come out of the temple, running to me. She suddenly changed direction, toward the to men. She spreaded her wings, using them to jump high. She was so swift and silent that they did not even notice her. She kicked the nearest man, knocking him off. His cry of pain startled the other one, who looked away for just two seconds. But it was enough for me to react. I punched him in the face, and uh... Let's say he was out of commision.

Rouge was panting. The temple was far from the place where I was, maybe 300 meters. She really knows how to use her legs.

- '' Are you okay, '' she asked.

- '' I am still alive, '' I replied.

She put a hand on her chest, as if she was trying to feel her heart beat, or thinking it was the best way to retrieve her breath.

- '' Let's get rid of them, '' she suggested.

I narrowed my eyes, thinking. I shook my head.

- '' Rouge, I do not think you are safe with me anymore. You should seek help from someone else. ''

She turned her gaze toward me, and her eyes widened.

- '' No. I... I feel safe with you.''

- '' No, you are not. ''

I took her by her arm, leading her toward the temple, where her things were.

- '' Take your wallet, and leave. ''

And then, something really strange happened. Rouge took one of my hands. I looked at her, surprised by the move. She was looking at me with a terrified, pleading expression.

- '' No, please! I know you can protect me! ''

How could I refuse? I cannot ignore a lady who is asking for help. I could not leave Rouge in such a situation, I could not forget some woman in trouble, which was a weakness. But I had some arguments. I sighed, before I started explaining.

- '' Rouge... I would really like to help you, you know... But... On an Island where only two persons live, it really would be easy for them to find you. I do not have the strenght to protect you. My fists cannot stop bullets. ''

She quickly came up with a great idea.

- '' ... We are two, you said? Let's go back on the planet. Let's see if they will find us easily there.''

That sounded surprisingly evil, the way she said it...

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So? Send me a review!


	3. Is it worth it?

**Of Blood and Snow**

Hello, it has been quite a long time since I updated something, so I decided to write this fic… Thank you for the kind comments, they are really encourraging... If you see any mistakes, as usual, I would be really pleased if you could point them out to me. Thank you.

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Third Chapter : Is it worth it?_

_Rouge's point of view..._

Knuckles and I went back on firm ground. I brought him to an my secondary home, a place where I spent time when I wanted to be alone, with no one disturbing me. Although there was a phone in it, I never gave my number to anyone. There was a small television for entertainment, some books and a bedroom. It was in fact a really small house near a small forest, not too far from the city. It really was convenient.

- '' So... Here we are,'' I said. '' This is my home... It is the safest place I know, no one knows I live here.''

I opened the door and I entered, followed by Knuckles. I looked at him, to see his reaction. He was looking around himself, awkward. It seemed like he felt uneasy. I guess it was because of the fact that he lived on a dark and gloomy island since he came to life.

I hoped that he could manage to make himself comfortable in my house. Long minutes of silence went by as Knuckles was looking around. The wooden walls, the modern furnitures, the smelly flowers on the table, the red carpets, the wide windows and the many decorations here and there.

- '' It is beautiful in here, '' he said. '' A nice-looking house to fit a beautiful lady.''

I could feel my cheeks blushing, although they were hidden under pure white fur. I looked away, hoping he would not notice.

- '' Thank you... I, uh, always try to keep it clean and pretty... ''

- '' Just like yourself.''

'' Oh, stop it! ''

He ignored me and he went to sit on a chair in front of the table.

- '' Okay, Knuckles. I have some things I wish to take care of. I have to go in the city. While I will be gone, I want you to take good care of my house. When I will come back, I expect to find each of my posessions in one piece.''

He nodded, staring at the fruits in a basket on the table. I knew that if it was about protecting humongous luminous and magical emeralds, he was the most devoted of all guardians, willing to give up his life for the shiny green thing. Proof was, Knucles had brought it with him from his Island. He had managed to compress it enough for it to fit in the palm of his hand.

His protection was not only limited to the Master Emerald. He was also a fierce fighter ready to ward of any unknown intruders who dares lay their feet on his territory.

I guess it was natural of me to entrust _my _territory to him, along with my precious treasures.

- '' Well, I am going now. Take good care of yourself. ''

He smiled at me, which made me shiver. When he did so, he never seemed happy. It felt cruel or mean. It must be because of the fact he was always frowning, and because he had dangerous looking fangs. On top of that, his purple eyes never ever felt kind or tender.

It was a very cold day. The wind was blowing hard, and the snow was falling in voluminous flakes. Walking on the street, my anger was slowly building. What were they thinking? My friend, Spike, what the heck was he doing? He had tried to kill Knuckles at my place! That stupid black cat! I went to the office and I kicked the door open, angry. I immediately saw Spike sitting on a chair, a nurse healing the wound I did to him when I kicked him. He lift his head to look at me with his golden eyes. Blood was flowing from his forehead.

- '' Hello, Rouge... Man, you are so violent!''

- '' What do you think you are doing, Spike?! Why did you try to kill Kunckles?!''

I pushed the nurse, a white swallow with wings on her back, and I took Spike's collar with a tight grasp.

- '' Gee, calm down! Our mission was to kill him!''

My eyes widened. I had momentarily(?) forgotten about this mission. It was true, I had to kill Knuckles.

- '' ..._Our _mission? What are you talking about?''

I let go of him, and the nurse resumed her work, glaring at me, worried.

- '' It was my mission, '' I told Spike. '' You have nothing to do with it. I just need time.''

That is when the President came in by another door.

- '' Rouge, you sure take your time. ''

- '' Mister President...''

I walked toward him.

- '' I made contact with the target. It was rather easy. He seems to trust me, and it may prove to be an easy murder.''

I lowered my head, thinking.

- '' I feel like I am missing something, '' I told him. '' Why do you want Knuckle's death?''

- '' Let's see... Well, how many time was that jewel of his stolen? Quite a few. I feel that if he dissapears, we can take this Emerald and hide it in a safer place. This piece of rock is too important to be left in the paws of a single person. ''

I frowned. Was that really a reason to kill him? The sole purpose of Knuckles' life was to protect the Master Emerald. Since his first breath, he knew what he had to do this, it was in his blood. I knew how it felt to have a special bloodline. I also had a purpose. The difference between Knuckles and me was that I had the chance to run away from it all because I am not the last bat left in this world. I shuddered, letting my carelessness come back to me.

- '' Right... I guess it is a pretty good reason. Do not worry. I may not know when, but he will die in less than a month. ''

Easier said than done.

- '' Well, I'm off. ''

I turned to leave. Before I opened the door, I turned my eyes towards Spike.

- '' I am sorry for hurting you. But please, stay out of my way.''

- '' You bet I will. ''

A sorry smile on my lips, I left them behind and I went to a store. I had to buy food. Knuckles only ate fruit, even if his fangs told the opposite. So, I went in the vegetable section and I put in my trolley a whole collection of fruits and vegetables. I also bought meat for me. After I had paid, I went back on the street, taking the direction of my house. On my way, I walked in front of the boutique that sold the evenig gown of my dreams. It was behind the window. I could not help but stop, to stare at the dress. I put my bags on the earth and closed my eyes, thinking how it would be when I will have the chance to finally wear it... I would go to some party, make all girls jealous while men will glue their eyes upon me... Then I will go dance with Knuckles...

...Wait... Knuckles will be dead. I shook my head. Fine. I will dance with Shadow...

No... It was not right... I won't ever get the chance to dance with Knuckles, and I knew Shadow hated all social activities. On top of that, dancing with Shadow would not fill my personnal satisfaction...

Knuckles would...

- '' What am I thinking? '' I whispered.

I put a hand on my forehead, troubled. What was I supposed to do? Would I find the strenght to kill Knuckles when the time will come? He never deserved it. I lifted my head to look at the clouds, to feel the snow falling on my face. A great sadness had found its way through my soul. It remained for a couple of minutes, until I shook my head.

- '' Come on, get a hold of yourself... ''

I started hating my job. Killing people for money was not easy at all...

_Think of the dress, the party, the money..._

Was it worth killing?

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So, how was it? You may tell me in a review!


	4. To Feel for Her

Of Blood and Snow

**Of Blood and Snow**

I'm bored. It is why I will now write this story. And since I am bored, it may prove to be a really bad chapter.

Thank you for you reviews. They were all pretty nice… And scary.

I know you mean no harm, but I do not like to hear those things about killing me if I do not upload soon.

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Fourth Chapter: To Feel for Her_

_Knuckles' point of view…_

Now that was something I was not used to.

A house.

Rouge's house was a nice, warm and cosy place. I already felt at ease. Since it was pretty far away from the nearest city, it was silent and calm. Since trees also surrounded it, I kind of felt at home. I almost hoped to be able to stay here for a while. When Rouge told me that she wanted to bring me at her house, I felt reluctant at first. I was sure that she would be living in the middle of the city, in some apartment in a noisy shopping district. I was obviously wrong.

Rouge entrusted me with her house. I carefully started to explore. I noticed that there was only one bedroom. The walls were purple, a shade that reminded me of dusk. The kitchen and the living room were side by side, as if it was all one big room. There was also a bathroom in shades of blue, which probably were supposed to remind us of the sea. There was also a basement with brick walls, where I decided to put the Master Emerald. I went upstairs, wanting to find a place where I could sleep.

- … I can't just sleep in her bed, right?, I wondered to myself.

I decided to sleep on the carpet in front of the door. I curled up on the carpet, closing my eyes. Yes, it was a pretty good place where I could spend the night.

The sound of the wind was kind of soothing. I could feel my mind drifting away as I was almost asleep. I could almost see the dreams forming in my head. But it all disappeared when the door opened and when Rouge almost stepped on me.

- Knuckles?! What the hell are you doing?

I jumped on my feet, startled.

- What? Oh, uh… I thought it was a nice place where I could sleep.

She laughed softly.

- I will not let you sleep on the floor, silly! You can sleep in my couch, or in my bed, or…

I looked at the bags she was carrying.

- You… Bought those things, right?

- Of course. I did not steal them.

She went past me and put the bags on the small circular table.

- I bought food for you. I know you like to eat vegetables and fruits.

That was really nice of her. I did not think she would go through the trouble of buying food for me. I was a guest; it would have been rude of me to criticize.

We went to sleep early. Even though I was not tired at all, Rouge was, and I could understand. Her life was in danger and she did tiresome things. She needed rest.

- You can't sleep in front of my door, she said. I would really like it if you slept in my room.

I blushed, hoping she would not notice.

- I-I can't do that. I mean you are a girl…

- You do not have to sleep in my bed. If you like carpets so much, you may sleep at the end of my bed.

That was slightly reassuring. It was not about whether I liked carpets or not. She probably knew that she could not sleep with a boy and she wanted to tease me a bit, or maybe she did not like the idea of me sleeping on the floor. I still decided to do as I was told and I lay on the floor near her bed. I stayed still, waiting for her to fall asleep. I could hear her calm and rhythmic breath, soft and quiet.

I thought about it, and I noticed something was wrong. She could die any moment, how could she manage to sleep so soundly? Maybe she really liked my presence by her side. Maybe she knew she could trust me while she was sleeping, hoping that I would stay up to stand guard.

Still, something was wrong…

The people who attacked me as I was guarding the Master Emerald looked like assassins. If I had nothing to do with Rouge, why would they try to do me harm?

I was confused. Maybe Rouge was…

No. It was not the time to let paranoia get to me. Rouge was in danger, I had to protect her, and it had absolutely nothing to do with me.

Then again, why would she ask me help…?

- Okay, that's it, I whispered to myself.

I shook my head and I got up. I needed to think about something else. I looked at Rouge. She seemed peaceful. I did not know if it was right or not but I decided to go out for a little walk. Of course, I would not wander really far from the house; I still wanted to be able to protect her if I had to. I quietly left, heading for the trees.

It was cold, really cold. But it helped me not to think about Rouge. I liked to be worried about my poor little self. Could I freeze to death? Was I foolish enough to try?

Definitely not. I was still a guardian.

I still had to protect the Emerald. And something else.

_No, no… Do not think about her… Stop worrying… Soon, this crazy story will be over, and you will be secluded by your lonesome on your Island again…_

_The snow is white… Pure… Beautiful… Just like…_

_Oh no! You thought about her, didn't you?_

_The thought of Rouge crept her way through your mind despite all your efforts to keep her away, didn't it?_

_What right do you have to be happy with this girl? You were put on this Earth to grieve, to protect the Emerald and uphold your burden. You were not meant to do this, to be worried about her, to be concerned, to be beside her, to take care of her, to listen to her…_

…_To feel for her… _

What am I to do?

--

Okay, I know it was not a really good chapter, but feel free to comment if you like. I am sure there are a lot of mistakes in this story, and I apologize.


	5. To Care for Him

**Of Blood and Snow**

Oh my, when did I write for the last time? I must be a little bit late to write that now…

I realised recently that I could easily update this story, so why not? Why not give it a shot?

Thank you for your reviews, I sincerely mean it.

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Fifth chapter: To Care for Him_

_Rouge's Point of View…_

" My nights were cold… So cold…"

My loneliness had been cold too… I woke up in the morning to find myself whispering those words. I stretched, and a light smile wandered on my lips.

" My nights are not so cold anymore… I am not alone, never again will I…"

The smile vanished. I could not allow myself to accustom myself to the presence of that boy… I had to kill him. I could not allow him to live. I had to be inflexible. I had to…

I sighed. I should have killed him as soon as I had laid eyes upon him, when I first got transported to his island. It did not really feel right anymore. I shook my head. It was really stupid; I knew I was going to kill him. I reminded myself of the money I would receive after this mission, and it helped my resolve. I would have to kill him during the day. I rose up and looked around myself. There was no echidna sleeping on the floor at the end of my bed. He was not in sight.

"Knuckles? Are you there? " I called softly.

There was no answer. I got up on my feet and I exited my room, searching for my prey. He had left; he was nowhere to be found. I felt uneasy. Had he been killed during the night? Had my boss thought that I was taking too much time? I went in the washroom and decided to take a shower, while trying to reassure myself. The time I had spent with Knuckles had been short, so I did not have to worry. The people for whom I worked were more patient that I thought, so there was no point in wondering if he was not of this world anymore.

I quickly washed and dressed, anxious to find Knuckles, may he be alive or dead. I went in the basement, and I saw the Master Emerald slowly spinning on the floor, glowing its eerie light. I smiled. Knuckles was a fool to leave it there, in the middle of the basement of a woman who had tried to take this glowing jewel to many times already. I shook my head, and a feeling of anxiety took place in my heart. He never was that much of a fool! If he was still alive, he was bound to be nearby.

I sped up the stairs and went in the dining room, to look at the basket full of the fruits I had bought just yesterday. Was there one missing? It was impossible to know.

" Knuckles, it is not funny, I loudly said. Where are you? If you are hiding, please come out!"

He did not answer. I then remembered that for him, who had lived alone for all his childhood, hide-and-seek was not a game, but a necessity, a test of survival against any threats. It was not a game. Had he ever been playful? Had he ever played with other kids? Had he ever been a child?

I dropped in a chair. I was trying to convince myself of his security.

" He cannot die that easily, I thought. He cannot be dead. He is somewhere around here, I am sure of it. He did not abandon me, he must have gone out to take a walk…"

A walk? To go where? He did not like the loud sounds and streaking lights of cities. I looked out the window. The snow was falling. If he was still alive, he was probably alone and cold.

I calmed down suddenly. Why was I worried like that? If he was dead, it was all right. I did not end up killing him. But then, why was I scared of killing him? It was my mission!

"Get a hold on yourself. He will die, like it or not, and it will be by your hands."

Slowly, I got back up. I already felt alone. I took one of the fruits I had bought the day before. How he loved apples, oranges, and above all else, grapes… I took a bite out of the apple, though I was the kind of person who liked to eat meat in the morning. What did I have to do? Was I supposed to go to my working place?

I decided to do that, to ask if they had seen Knuckles, to know if he was still alive or not.

I put on a coat and I went outside. I looked at the falling snow. For a winter day, it was not really cold. I sighed and looked around myself, hoping to find Knuckles somewhere around here… I realised suddenly that he might have gone into the woods. With sudden hope, I started walking towards the forest. It was not long before I tripped on something lying near the trees. I fell in the snow, surprised but not hurt. I heard a sound. I quickly got up again and I looked at where I tripped. Under the snow, there was a red, warm thing.

" Knuckles?"

I started to push the snow aside. There he was, lying under those snowflakes, asleep. I took him by the shoulders and started shaking him.

" Knuckles, what happened to you? What are you doing there?"

His lips moved, but I did not hear his whisper because of the wind. I approached my ear to listen better, and I barely heard his answer.

" I have no right to be there with you… I can't… I should go back to fulfill my duty."

Anger, irrelevant, useless and unexplained, suddenly appeared in me, working together with my worries to make me think in a way that was not usual. I usually understood him, but at the moment, I could not stand him telling me of his duties while he was almost frozen to death.

"What the hell is wrong with you, I shouted. Why must you talk of your duty while you are almost dead? If you die here, who will look after your precious jewels?"

I waited for an answer, but he remained silent. I spoke a bit more calmly, but my voice was not confident anymore. It expressed sadness.

"You are such an idiot… Go ahead and freeze to death if you like, I do not care anymore…"

I took Knuckles by an arm and I helped him to get on his feet. He was not dying at all. Years of cold, quiet and lonely winter nights had made him able to sleep under snow and rain. We silently walked back in the house, where I asked him to sit at the table. As I was fixing his breakfast, I realised that, as problematic as it can be, I was lying.

I cared for him.

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So, how did you like that chapter? Send me a review if you feel like telling me my mistakes or your opinion…


	6. City Lights

**Of Blood and Snow**

Hello everyone. I hope you will manage to enjoy this chapter. I feel like my story is progressing so slowly…

My reviewers also keep telling me that my chapters are not long enough. I decided that the best way to make my chapters longer was to combine together the two points of view. This way, you will know sooner what the other character thinks. Tell me what you think about it.

And forgive me for this chapter. It is kind of clichéd.

Well, we will see if I can manage to make my story more interesting…

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Sixth Chapter: City Lights_

_Knuckles' Point of View…_

I was foolish enough to try and freeze to death, but Rouge was not heartless enough to let me suffer quietly. I was unable to do my duty properly, but she could not understand that.

Than again, being unable to freeze to death might have been my punishment… It was not suicidal at all; I knew that I could survive the cold, snow and ice. But it was my duty that kept me motivated.

Rouge was fixing breakfast, as I was looking at her. She looked angry. I was almost scared to talk to her. I could not see her face, but I could tell from the way she was cutting the fruits with her knife that she was not in a good mood. The thought of the blade piercing my flesh made me shiver.

After a few quiet minutes, she presented me a bowl filled with all kinds of fruits that one could imagine. I could see apples, strawberries, oranges, watermelon, and much more. She sat down and started eating the same thing. I looked at her. She did not seem angry anymore; I saw that she had been crying.

" I am so sorry, Rouge… I did not realise that I would make you upset. I did not want to make you angry."

She looked at me and sighed.

"You never lived with anyone, have you?"

I could not understand what she meant by saying that. Years of exclusion had left me with a bad knowledge of people and their reaction. Since I was not used to being with others, I tended to seem almost selfish, because I never was able to interpret feelings properly. I knew nothing better than myself, and I often did not have these kind if feelings. Sorrow? Joy? Affection? No. It was more like anger, satisfaction and peace of mind.

"No, I never—"

"Than, you cannot understand" she said, interrupting me. " You cannot begin to understand what it is to be worried about someone. I thought you could have died there. Or maybe…"

She paused. I looked at her, waiting for her to end her sentence.

"Maybe… This is what you wanted?"

"I did not want to die. I just needed to be away from you for a moment."

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"We are not together yet, and you already cannot stand my presence anymore…"

Her eyes widened and she put a hand on her mouth, as if she had said something that she had not meant to say. She was looking at me, waiting for a reaction.

"It is not that" I told her. "I like being here. You are being very nice to me, and I appreciate it."

She laughed, softly.

"You really do not understand. But how could you know the feelings of a girl?"

She sighed again, but this time, with a small smile on her lips. I did not understand what she was saying, but I was pleased to see that she was not angry anymore. She finished eating her breakfast, and then got on her feet.

"Okay, you know what?" she said. "We are going out. I want you to take a walk with me in the city, all right? We cannot stay in here all day long, can we?"

I shook my head.

"But Rouge, is it not dangerous?"

"No, no, not at all…"

I cocked an eyebrow. Had she forgotten that she could die any moment?

It was a very cold day. The wind was blowing, and the snow was falling. Rouge wore a short and tight white coat, and she had forced me to put on a black one that was a tad more plain.

"This is my favourite bakery shop," she was telling me. "The bread and cakes they make in there are simply amazing. Would you like to have something? Some apple custard, perhaps? Come with me."

We went in many different shops and boutiques, and in each one of them Rouge would buy something for me and for her, even in the shops in which they sold clothing. She was making me carry a lot of her bags, but I did not really mind. After all, I was there to help her out. We had mainly food and clothing, but also a few other things. It was almost the time to eat dinner; we had spent the whole day shopping.

"This is a music store that I like a lot. Do you like music, Knuckles? You are not sure? Oh well, we should buy a CD… Oh, look, we can see the drug store from where we are, I buy my shampoo over there. Oh, and this is…"

She did not end her sentence. We were in front of a small boutique. Rouge was looking inside the shop. I waited for a moment for her to talk, but she was remaining silent.

"Rouge, are you okay? What is it?"

I could not interpret her expression. I had no idea how she was feeling. To me, she looked worried. But as I had spoken, she had turned her eyes towards me, as if she had not been listening to me, as if she was thinking about something else.

"What? Oh, no, do not worry about me, I am okay, seriously."

She smiled at me, and looked inside the shop again. I looked inside too. I could see clothing. I did not know what was so special about that shop.

"What are you looking at?" I asked.

She shook herself.

"Oh, nothing, nothing… Are you hungry? There are a few restaurants nearby. I like this one, do you want to go?"

So we sat in a restaurant, just beside the window. Rouge would often look out and stare at the gently falling snow, with a smile on her lips. She seemed happy, or filled with some kind of peace. She would also look at me, smile a bit more, and return to her contemplation of the snow. I looked around myself. For the few examples of restaurants I had seen in my whole life, I could see that it was neither a fast food, nor a luxury restaurant. Rouge was waiting for the waiter to bring her spare ribs, and I was waiting for a salad.

"Rouge" I said. "Can I ask you something?"

She stopped looking at the snow, and she turned her gaze towards me, almost surprised that I spoke to her.

"Of course, what is it?"

"How can you be so calm when you think that you might be in danger?"

She frowned, without looking really angry.

"Oh please, do not bring that up tonight. Am I bothering you? Are we not having fun? I need some calm, I need to feel that my life is normal, and that death is not just around the corner."

I frowned too.

"Your life does not seem to have a special value. You are way too careless."

Her eyes widened.

"No, this is not true! You do not get it! I… I just…"

She sighed, as I was waiting for her to continue. The waiter came with our dishes, and only after his interruption did Rouge tell me what was up with her.

"Knuckles, I feel that I can trust you, and that I am not in danger with you. Will you not protect me if something happens? Please, I need to have fun too… I cannot spend my life hiding, I need to live as I always lived… Do you understand?"

No… I did not really understand. But I nodded anyway. My life was all about survival. I did not really care about having fun. I did not even know how to have fun.

"I… I need fresh air. Will you wait for me?" she asked.

I nodded. She got up and she went outside, in this snow that she seemed to love, in the cold air of this winter evening that she wanted to spend carelessly. After some time, I got up, and I decided to follow her, wondering if she had lost herself on the way, wondering if the city lights would help me find her.

_Rouge's Point of View…_

I was an idiot. I was so careless, and here Knuckles was worrying about me, not knowing that the one in danger was he. I was not angry or worried anymore; this day spent with Knuckles had calmed me down.

Winter nights were long and cold. Even though it was six in the evening, the sky was dark, as if it was midnight. I was not very far from the restaurant in which I had left Knuckles and I was aimlessly walking on the street, until my feet led me in front of my favourite boutique in which they sold the dress that I wanted to buy. When we had passed in front of it earlier, I had stopped to stare, reminding me of the fact that I had to get rid of Knuckles in order to be able to afford it. But looking at him kindly carrying most of my bags had made my resolution quiver again. I wanted to be able to wear it. But who would see me wearing it if Knuckles was gone? Who would compliment me and tell me I look pretty in it?

I did not know what to do. I was torn between two of my selfish desires. Did I want that money and that dress enough to kill someone I cared for? Or did I want to forsake that money and maybe my job in order to keep Knuckles close to me?

I needed some more time to think it over.

But time was growing short.

I shook my head. I was feeling down. I felt lost, I needed someone to decide for me what to do, I was unable to decide by myself. I decided to go back to the restaurant, hoping that Knuckles was not worried, and hoping that he had not done any stupidities, like breaking something expensive. The thought of Knuckles destroying a table and some glassware to smithereens made me hurry a bit more. The street was empty of all people, which was kind of weird. To reach the restaurant more quickly, I decided to go through a narrow street, which was really stupid. In the middle of the street, I heard a voice. What we only see in stories and movies happened to me.

"Hey, missy, where do you think you are going?"

I stopped in my tracks. In front of me, there were two boys. One of them was a hawk, and the other one looked like a panther.

"This is our street, and to get past us, you have to pay," said the hawk.

"I do not have any money to give to idiots like you."

I sighed. These idiots did not know whom they were messing with, and I was also in a bad mood. I did not want to fight, or to be bothered by these cretins. But as I was about to kick the hawk to teach him better, I received a hit on the head and I fell down. I felt pain, and also fear.

"Missy, you would be better to give us some money if you know what's good for yourself. Since you are really cute, I am willing to let you go for twenty bucks… If you do me a little favour…"

My eyes widened, as the boy behind me put his hand on my butt. I looked at him. It was a wolf. What were they going to do to me? My mind raced, evaluating all the possible scenarios, without omitting the worse that they could do to me. As his hand was going up in my shirt, I heard a voice that I knew too well.

"What do you think you are doing?" said a deep voice.

I lift my head. I could see Knuckles at the other side of the street.

"Who the hell are you? Her boyfriend?" asked the panther.

"Yes, exactly, you might say so."

In this terribly embarrassing situation, as this wolf was touching my butt, I felt myself blush, hearing him say that. He punched the hawk, which was the closest one to him. And being who he is, it hurt the boy more than he was expecting. He flew, per say. It scared the two others.

"I… I-I'm sorry," said the panther. "If I had known…"

"If you had known?" Knuckles asked. "Known what? Do you think I will let you get away with what you have done to her? You are seriously wrong!"

He let the panther go, but the wolf got hurt. Badly. Meanwhile, I was on my knees, still a bit on the nerves. Knuckles came back to me.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head.

"No, I think I am okay."

"Here, let me help you"

He gave me one of his hands, and he helped me get on my feet. I blushed again.

"Thank you… You arrived at the right time."

I was about to embrace him, but I stopped and did nothing. Then, my eyes widened.

"Wait a second, you left the restaurant!? They must be thinking that we left without paying!"

We went back to the restaurant. Fortunately, since our things were there, since our plates were still full and since I was a regular customer, they were sure that we would come back. So all was good as far as this was concerned.

As we were on our way back to my house, I was looking at him from behind. I was merely following him, telling him only where to turn. Sometimes, he would even turn around to make sure that I was still following him, maybe a bit worried about what happened. When he was not looking, I was smiling at him. He really came to save me. I felt like I was in a bad, old-fashioned romantic movie. The man saving the woman in turmoil, I had seen it so many times… And it had happened to me before. I was also blushing. I was so happy. The way we had spent the day, the things he had said to the three idiots, his attitude, his saying that he could be called my boyfriend… I felt like a little girl falling in love for the first time.

When we finally reached the house, it was getting very late. Knuckles, who had had a very long day with his almost freezing, the shopping, carrying my bags and coming to save me from thugs, was very tired. He put the bags on the table, and he smiled at me, not looking good as far as his health was concerned.

"Sorry, Rouge, I would like to stay up and talk to you a bit more, but I really need to sleep."

"Alright, I understand… You were very helpful today. Thank you very much… For saving me."

He lowered his head, still smiling. He almost looked shy.

"Well, you know… That is what I am here for. So… The carpet?"

"What? Oh, yes, you can sleep in my room again, on the carpet… But please, this time, do not leave the house in the middle of the night to wander around, alright?"

He smiled a bit more.

"Yes, yes, I promise."

He went in my room and I saw him lay down on the carpet. I found myself smiling and sighing while looking at him. I went outside, almost thrilled like a high school girl. I spread my wings and I flew on the roof of my house. I sat down and I thought about Knuckles. It would make my mission even harder now. But I wanted to savour the moment, so I just gazed out unto the landscape before me, thinking how the city lights shimmering in the distance were beautiful tonight.

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I want to thank SailorMoonFanForever for her help. It was she who fixed the ending to that chapter so it does not sound too ridiculous. If you have time, read her stories. She is an amazing writer, I do not compare to her.

If you saw any mistakes, tell me. If you have time, send me a review.


	7. Cold Loneliness

**Of Blood and Snow**

Hello, all of you. Here is the latest chapter of my story. I especially wanted to thank one of my reviewers who gave me the idea for this chapter.

If you happen to spot any mistake, I will tell you once again to please tell me so I don't make them again.

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Seventh Chapter: Cold Loneliness_

_Rouge's Point of View…_

When I woke up the next day, I almost had a heart attack. I was pulling on my sheets because, for some reason, someone had left the window slightly open, so it was a very cold morning. And for some reason, they were very hard to pull towards myself. I groaned and I slightly rose up to see if my blanket was stuck somewhere. I saw that it was stuck under Knuckles, who was at the other end of my bed. My eyes widened. Suddenly, I was not quite asleep anymore. I jumped out of bed, staring intently at the echidna, which was sleeping soundly. I sighed. Oh, what a perfect opportunity it was to grab a knife and plunge it into his flesh, hitting one or two vital points that would make him suffer before the reaper comes to put him out of his misery in only a few moments… I shook my head.

_How can I be thinking about such things? _

I was growing weak. My resolution was thin. My priorities were hard to define… These were very difficult times for me. I decided that a good, hot shower might help to chase these thoughts and worries away. It did not really work. When there was no hot water anymore, I really started to feel miserable, my mind racing to find a solution, something to do to lead me out of the dead end of this long, painful road. As my body was getting numb from the cold, my head slowly started to empty itself of everything, and I felt a bit more calm. I stopped the flow of water, I grabbed a towel to dry my fur, and then I left the washroom.

"Hello, Rouge, how are-… You're shivering..." Knuckles said.

The thoughts that had left my mind earlier came back in a fraction of second. He was in the kitchen, sitting at the table, eating an apple. He put the fruit on the table and he took a step towards me.

"Do not come any closer!" I said.

"But you are cold."

I wore nothing else than a towel. I was not feeling well at all. How could I possibly kill the boy that was in front of me? He took another step… and another… until he was beside me. Then, not without my surprise, he put his strong arms around my shoulders in a sweet, tender embrace. Slowly, extremely slowly, I fell to the floor, with Knuckles at my sides. Tears started to roll, as I let my head rest on his warm chest.

"Do not cry, Rouge, I… I-I will protect you, no matter what…"

I could clearly feel in his voice that he had no idea what to say or what to do in this unusual situation. He probably never had to face a woman crying on his shoulder… or chest, as it were. Although it was difficult, I left these arms after a few minutes, not without some sort of regret, the regret that usually follows feelings of loss. Without a word from him or myself, I went in my room to get dressed. I found myself staring at the place where Knuckles was sleeping earlier. After I put on a pair of black jeans and a blue tank top, I went back to the kitchen, knowing that I had to eat breakfast even if I was not hungry at all.

"Oh, Rouge, I am really sorry for crawling on your bed, it's just… I thought that you would not mind if I kept a good distance, I promise I will not do it again…"

My eyes widened. I understood that he thought I was upset because of him doing this.

" No," I sighed. "It is not that. I just… It is… I need to go to work, alright?"

I was lying, I did not know how to justify the way I acted, so I decided that I needed some time to think about it by myself. Knuckles nodded. After he promised me he would stay safely at home, I went to the city.

I was wandering on a street not too far from the many shops where I had brought Knuckles yesterday. The sky was grey, but no snow was falling on the residential area where I was walking. For some reason, I could not even think about anything. My mind was empty, as I was trying to find a solution. I sighed, and I sat on the steps that led to my apartment in the city. As I was thinking about actually going inside, I caught a glimpse of someone I had not seen for a long time. A black hedgehog was passing on the street. Although he was quite fast for the people who did not know him, I could tell that he was perhaps worried about something from his slow stride that I could easily follow if I hurried a bit.

"Shadow?..." I whispered.

I rose up and I went after him.

"Shadow, wait!"

He stopped in his tracks, turning his gaze towards me.

"Hello" he said with his deep and somewhat melancholic voice. "What do you want?"

His voice did not really feel melancholic anymore. He sounded like he was in a bad mood, as if he was having some problems of his own. But then, he probably realized that I was not feeling well. With all the empathy he could use, he asked with a tiny bit of concern:

"Is something the matter?"

"Shadow, I… I think I need to speak to someone."

"Okay, what's wrong?"

I know it was difficult for him to pretend he actually cared, but at least, he was still listening to me, he was not gone yet.

"I do not know what to do or who to turn too… I… I was given an assignment by my boss, and I do not think I can do it…"

He had no reaction. It was obvious that he really wanted to be somewhere else. He could have run away, but he was still there, as if he thought this story could be at least entertaining, if not interesting.

"My boss wants me… to kill Knuckles."

_Knuckles' Point of View…_

"I need to go to work, alright?"

Rouge was not feeling well, but that was almost all that I could tell. I had spent a lot of time thinking about going in her bed, weighing the possibilities, wondering if she would mind at all, if she would be scared or anything else. At the end, I had made a mistake, a mistake that had made Rouge upset, maybe even angry or sad or any emotions that I had troubles understanding. I nodded, having no idea what to tell her, how to apologize or make up for my mistakes. Fortunately, a really small smile appeared on her lips.

"You promise you will stay here? Do not leave this house, okay? My territory also needs to be protected. You understand?"

Once again, I just nodded, relieved to see this smile, a smile that seemed unsure, but a smile anyway. She took her coat and her keys, to then leave, still smiling, as if to make sure that I knew she would be fine. I resumed eating the apple that I had left on the table. I longed for a comfortable place to sleep. I wanted to know just once how it felt to sleep in a bed, and I knew I would never do it again. Besides, it had been an unusually cold night, and the floor was frozen. It did not take long before I started to feel bored. Rouge had told me that this house was the safest place she knew, so why did she think that I had to protect it? It is her that I had to protect, and how could I do this if I stayed here? I took the same coat as the day before and I went out to search for her.

I went all the way to the city, and I wandered quite a bit before I found her. She was walking on a street, not too far from all the small shops. I decided to follow her, wondering where she worked, what she would do. At some point, she sat on some steps, as if she was tired and did not know where to head next. After a few moments, she called out to Shadow, a hedgehog I had not seen for the longest time. They were so close to my hideout that I could hear what they were saying. I could hear Rouge's voice, which I could not describe.

"I… I was given an assignment by my boss, and I do not think I can do it…" she sighed. "My boss wants me… to kill Knuckles"

My eyes widened. People wanted me dead… but why? Protecting Rouge was not important, after all? Was she not in danger at all? Had I been fooled again? All these questions were repeating themselves in my head, over and over again.

_I have never felt so alone in my life…_

They went in a dark alley, so they could speak more calmly. I hid once again, wondering what Rouge wanted to say.

"I do not know what to do, Shadow… I cannot find the strength to do such a thing. I just… I am lost. Of course, I need money in order to live, but I just came to realize that money might not be everything… You know, there is this… dress… that I really want to have, but I cannot afford it. My boss promised he would pay, but… Tell me, Shadow… What am I supposed to do?"

"I do not know" Shadow answered. "But here is something you should give thought too; what is more important? His life, or your own, selfish desires?"

There was no answer from Rouge. I sighed, softly. All that was left for me to do was what I did best; protect myself. I thought I could understand her problems because I could probably let someone die for the Master Emerald. But would I have killed someone that was not a threat? Probably not. Would I have killed someone at all? I do not think so, if it was not necessary. I decided that the best thing to do was to remain with Rouge to see how it all goes. One of the things I had learned from people was that when they were not feeling well, we had to stay with them and support them, and to stay in the next room if they ever were to tell you to leave them alone.

I left my hideout and I slowly started to walk towards the house. I should have listened to her, I should have stayed there. Once again, I had acted like an idiot. I entered inside Rouge's property, and I went in the basement, where I had left the Master Emerald. As usual, it was slowly spinning, its eerie glow gently lighting up the place. For some reason, this light that seemed so cold suddenly had a peculiar feeling, a strange and comforting warmth.

I was wondering if I had to leave this entire crazy story behind to return to my quiet, silent and peaceful life on Angel's Island.

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Thank you for reading this chapter. Any helpful critic would be great, so if you want to share your opinions with me or give me some sort of suggestion, please do.


	8. Slow Spin

**Of Blood and Snow**

Hello everyone. I wanted to thank you for your reviews. It is under some sort of light pressure that I am back after a few hours of writing.

Here is my latest chapter, and I hope from the bottom of my heart that you will enjoy it as much as you can. Do people really read these things that writers do write before the story? You can answer that for me. That was the survey of today.

I also wish to you all a nice winter break.

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Eighth Chapter: Slow Spin_

_Rouge's Point of View…_

Shadow had left me wondering over this question for which I was not sure I had an answer. I knew I was selfish by nature, but maybe for once, just for once, I could forget myself and show to someone that I could actually care, that my heart was not made of those stones I loved so much. A difficult question it was, and I knew I would think about it for a while before I actually came to a solution. I hoped that a light bulb would suddenly appear over my head to give me a sudden illumination, even though I knew it only happened in movies. I decided to go to work, hoping they could convince me to do one of those options I had, even if it was strengthening my resolve to keep being selfish. I started to walk slowly, wondering, thinking as hard as I could, even though I felt that my head could explode. As I could see my work place at the other end of the street, I suddenly had an illumination, but not the kind that I wanted.

_What if their reasons are not righteous? Or what if they convince me to kill Knuckles anyway?_

Once again I shook my head, chasing these thoughts. Would it not be good if they convinced me? Would it not be the right thing for me? I was still hesitant to go in the building, scared of this place for a reason I did not know, feeling that this familiar location was hostile, foreign and dangerous.

"Hey Rouge! How are you?"

I spun around to see Spike, my colleague and friend. He still had his bandage from when I had kicked him.

"I'm fine, but I—"

I did not finish my sentence. I wanted to tell him my dilemma, but I realized in a fraction of second that I could not tell someone who believed that Knuckles should die. He was looking at me intently, probably waiting for me to finish my sentence.

"Uh… I… I think I might have caught a cold, I'm not feeling that well" I said with a smile.

"Really?" he said. "Well, I hope you will soon get well. Should I replace you for the mission?"

I almost wanted to say yes, but I said nothing. I shook my head.

"No, thank you but… I think I'll be fine. Maybe the target will trust me more if I am sick, maybe he will be… more trusting…"

Of course, it was yet another lie. I purposely did not say his name, not wanting to let any kind of feelings betray me.

"Alright, but don't push yourself. Oh yeah, have I told you that I have a new girlfriend?"

"Really? What's her name?"

"That is a secret!" he said playfully.

That made me smile. His carelessness was good for me to forget my little problems. His everyday life and his trivial stories about himself were quite interesting. He kept telling me about this girlfriend I had never heard of, telling me how he had met her, what she was like and all other normal things. Right in front of the door, I stopped in my tracks, as Spike was putting his hand on it.

"I… I don't think I should go in" I said. "I'm not feeling well at all."

At least, this was the truth. It was not because of a cold or any other illness, it was for a question of irrational feelings. He laughed, apparently thinking that it was because of the cold.

"Don't worry about it too much. If you are not feeling well, go home and get some rest. As long as you fulfill your mission soon, you do not have to come and work. Just take it easy and…"

I was not listening anymore. It was good to be reminded that I had to focus solely on my mission and that I did not need to meet with the boss or anything of the sort. I thanked my friend for his advice and for his concern, and I left after he had made sure I would be fine on my way home. For some reason, I was feeling better. My boss had never given me a deadline for the mission, so I basically had more time than I thought in front of me. Worrying like I did was almost useless.

Instead of going home like Spike had told me to, I decided to buy a few things. I bought a soft mat on which Knuckles could sleep. After all, he could not sleep on the rug forever, and he had promised me he would never sleep in my bed again. I also wanted to buy some clothing for him, but it was probably useless and he might have not appreciated the thought, so I only bought more fruits for him. I went for a drink at the local coffee shop, and I decided to head home, wanting to spend some time with Knuckles.

When I opened up the door, Knuckles was looking out the window. Even though something did not feel quite right, I was pleased to see that he had listened to me and had not wandered off who knows where. I did not give much thought to it, he probably wanted to be back home on his island.

"Hello Knuckles, I am back already, I did not make it at work, I am not feeling too well."

He looked at me with a face devoid of any trace of the smallest smile, as if he was unhappy to see me. I felt myself choke, overthrown by an unexplained sadness.

"…Are you okay?" I weakly asked.

He nodded, still keeping that expression. He actually seemed pretty normal, but since I was expecting a smile, or some sort of kindness in his eyes, this look he had was almost… disappointing.

"I should be asking that," he replied. "You sure do not look okay."

Was I feeling concern in his tone of voice? He did seem worried, maybe even… too worried. To respond to his apparent worries, I decided to stick to the lie I had told Spike.

"I think I might have caught a cold, it's probably because I spent too much time exposed to the cold with you."

"Are you sure it can be a cold? You sure do not look sick according to me. You look more anxious than anything."

I swear he could have killed me with these words. Did he know what I was planning? Did Shadow tell him about the situation I was in? After all, since Knuckles was not really good at deciphering feellings, he was probably told by someone that I was nervous for some reason. I gulped, still trying to stay calm, looking at him incredulously.

"What are you talking about?"

He shuddered.

"It's nothing. I guess that must have been my imagination. You should rest, then. Should I leave you alone?"

"No, please… Stay with me… I feel more safe with you by my side…"

_Knuckles' Point of View…_

Rouge came back early that day. As I was still wondering if I should simply leave her behind and go back to my island where I might be able to protect myself, she came back through the front door. I was so deep in thought that I had not seen her coming. After she had explained that she had a cold, which was a lie as far as I was concerned, I told her to take it easy, pretending I believed her. I think she took it well and that I was subtle enough. She spent most of the day sleeping, and when she was awake, she would sigh and show nervousness. She also read, watched the television and cooked the daily meals for both of us.

I spent the day trying to figure out what I should do, but as I thought that the best would be to go back to the island, I started to feel bad. A feeling that was close to uneasiness kept me from leaving her, from taking the Master Emerald and from disappearing without telling her where I was going. Maybe it was due to the fact that she had been very angry when she had found me lying in the snow on her property.

Early in the evening, as she was sleeping, I decided that I had to leave.

Angel's Island was as cold as can be, and the weather was the worse possible one. The wind was blowing, the snow was falling, thick and heavy. I still had that feeling that for some reason, I should have told Rouge that I was gone. I went to the altar and placed the Master Emerald at its rightful place. I stayed there a few moments, staring at its low spin, feeling that something was not quite right. I lied down and closed my eyes, trying to get rid of these feelings.

_I should have told Rouge… She will be mad, or worried, maybe even sad… Why did I come back? It feels colder than usual, I am so alone… Am I already used to this easy life that I do not deserve?... It was warm over at Rouge's house… The food was delicious… She was nice to me… Why did I come back again?..._

I opened my eyes. I realised that what was wrong was the fact that the glow of the Master Emerald appeared once again as cold as it had always been.

* * *

I am sorry for this short point of view from Knuckles, and I am sorry for being quite a slow writer. Also, forgive me for the presence of this OC, Spike, I claim that I do not really like them, but I use them. Thank you for reading, and do not hesitate to share comments or ideas with me.


	9. What have you done?

**Of Blood and Snow**

Hello everyone, it has been some time, right?

So here is the latest chapter of this random story, and I wonder why I did not write it sooner, since the inspiration for this chapter came on New Year's Eve…

And I got it confirmed that no one reads these messages that we leave at the top of the story, so why do I write? Who knows. I could tell you right now how the story ends, and no one would care or even know. How funny would that be, hm? Seriously, no one read these notes? Oh well.

**Of Blood and Snow**

_Ninth Chapter: What have you done?_

_Rouge's Point of View…_

The next day was a cold and snowy one, the kind of days that could really leave me with a bad cold. Or perhaps the early hour I had woken up at was the reason for this really dark sky. I stayed in bed a long moment, thinking how silent the room was and how calm the atmosphere seemed to me. I realized that it might have been even too quiet considering that Knuckles was supposed to be sleeping on the floor at the other end of my bed. I rose up and saw that indeed it was too quiet since he was gone. I sighed, thinking that he probably had slept somewhere else. I went out of the room and checked if I could see Knuckles somewhere around me, but he was nowhere in my line of sight. I went to take a shower, surprisingly calm, but as soon as I put clothing on, I started to look for him a bit more actively, but since my house was fairly small, looking around did not take much time.

_Where have you run off too this time?_

Once again, this feeling of worry took over me as I left the house to go look for him near the forest where I had found him lying down the other day. I walked around for a long time, careful where I stepped, not wanting to hurt him. I started to wander among the trees, lured in by the idea that he might have gone further in. I started yelling out his name, but my shouts quickly turned into the pleading cries of a lost little girl.

"Knuckles, please! Come out of your hideout!" I sighed. "I'm worried, you know...?"

I started to rub my arms, not necessarily because of the cold. I looked around myself a final time, though I could feel that it was pretty useless. After all, how could I not see a scarlet mass against the pure white snow? Slowly, I walked towards my house, devoid of all hope of finding Knuckles. Why had he left? What could have made him leave me like-...

My sorrow suddenly turned into irrational and deep anger. I felt my eyes narrow against my will.

"Shadow..."

I quickly ate breakfast and I decided to search for the black hedgehog. It took me one or two hours, but I finally found him wandering around on the outskirts of town. As soon as I saw him, I ran towards him with the subtlety of a missile. When he saw me, he lowered his head on the side, probably wondering what was the cause of this anger that he could read in my face.

"What have you done!?"

As soon as I was close enough, I tried to give him a kick that he easily dodged.

"Hello, Rouge, how are you feeling on this fine day?"

"Just great!"

"Oh really, so maybe you could calm down and tell me why you nicely came to visit."

That was something quite unusual coming from him. Any sort of humor seemed to be unknown to him, and his really small smile did creep me out.

"What did you tell him? Where is he now!?"

He remained silent, probably waiting for me to calm down. I took a deep breath, and even managed to calm down after a few seconds.

"Where is Knuckles?" I asked, accentuating every word.

"How should I know?"

"Don't you lie to me, I know you said something. You were the only one there, and I told no one else."

"I swear I didn't speak to him. You know, Rouge, is it possible that..."

I was not listening anymore. As he was telling me something about our previous conversation, I was thinking really hard. Shadow could have told anyone about what I said. Maybe he had told Spike who had killed Knuckles. I choked. Oh, how I wished for this thought to be false! I interrupted his flow of words.

"Did you tell Spike?"

He sighed.

"You're not listening to me at all, are you?"

I did not even listen to his answer, my mind racing. It was impossible for him to know Spike, and besides, no one who had something to do with Shadow could know him. Where could Knuckles be? I looked around myself, hoping to gain sudden inspiration from my surroundings. Of course, nothing came. I looked at Shadow, who seemed to be eager to leave me alone in my apparent lunacy.

"I haven't seen Knuckles," he said "but I think I know where you might find him."

My eyes widened and my heart instantly started to pound loudly in my chest.

"Really?! Where?"

For sole answer, he turned his gaze towards the gray sky. Quite uselessly, I did the same even though I had already understood. Angel's Island; Knuckles' territory, sanctuary and epitaph. I then realized that I had not even thought about checking in the basement of my house to see if the Master Emerald was still there.

"You're right, Shadow... Why did I not think of this..."

"There, you see? Try to think before hitting, for once."

I gave him an angry look, that was actually more annoyed than anything else.

"Hey, I'm worried, okay? He left without saying a single word."

"Well... I wish you the best of luck to find him."

He left. He had probably exceeded his monthly quota of interaction with people in the two conversations I had had with him. I looked to the sky again. Was it really a good idea to go after him?

_He did seem weird, yesterday... He was... Ah, was he angry? Well, he sure was not happy..._

_Wonder if he knows what's going on..._

But then again, was it possible? I shook my head. Knuckles was not exactly good at deciphering emotions and since he had not spoken to anyone, how could he possibly know what my mission was?

_Knuckles' point of view..._

I realized that I was back on Angel's Island when I opened my eyes. It was dark and really cold. I found myself wondering why the window was opened, pestering because it had woken me up. I quickly realized that it was far from being the truth. It was not pitch-black in Rouge's house... I was buried under the thick snow of Angel's Island. I shook myself and I rose up, pushing aside this snow that had accumulated itself on my body. I felt a shiver go down my spine as I looked around myself. It really was the worst possible kind of weather that could befall the island. It was stormy, windy and cold. I sighed and did what I usually do when I wake up; I turned around and made sure the Master Emerald was still where it was supposed to be. Of course, it was still there, spinning and spinning. I was born to protect the Emerald, and even though I valued my solitude, I could basically fulfill my role wherever I was, as long as I had the catalyst with me. Why did I come back? I had forgotten.

I felt a great deal of guilt. Would it have been a better idea if I had tried to speak with Rouge about all of this? Then again, discussing things over had never been one of my talents. I wish I could have been more subtle.

Did Rouge really want to kill me? I knew I did things to make people angry, but did I ever give anyone a reason to go as far as killing me? I also wondered how it was possible for me to be alive if Rouge wanted to see me dead. She had had a few chances to kill me, so how could it be that she had missed all these chances, all these flaws in my guard? Why did she not aim for any of my weaknesses? I shook my head and I started to walk towards the place where I had brought Rouge at the beginning of this whole story... I frowned. What did she say her reason was for being there?

"_I think my boss sent people to kill me..."_

What was up with that? I entered the old temple, one of the few place where it was possible to find food by this weather. Despite the cold air, there were still fruits on the trees. For some reason that I failed to explain, the place became rather warm as soon as the sun was out... which was obviously not the case on this stormy day. I still took a fruit hardened by the cold and bit it, reminiscent of my childhood. How many times did I break my teeth on these darn fruits? After this simple meal, I went back to the altar, unwilling to let the Master Emerald for more than a short period of time. As I was getting closer to the Emerald, I noticed I was not alone. I stopped in my tracks and hid behind a tree. Rouge was waiting besides the Emerald.

_What is she doing here...?_

I frowned, trying to see the expression of her face from where I was. She seemed nervous. Sadly, she quickly spotted me. Hiding is difficult when you are a blood red spot against white snow. I did not move from the spot where I was as she came towards me. Ready to protect myself from a kick or, even worse, from her yelling, I took a defensive stance. I must say that I sure was not expecting her to do what she did; she threw her arms around me and put her head against my chest. I was so surprised that I did not dare to make the slightest move.

"You idiot... I was so worried! Where were you?"

"Um... Here?"

I could not tell how she was feeling, but it almost felt like anger to me.

" I know, you dimwit! Why did you come back in the first place?"

I kept silent for a moment. What could I say? Despite my lack of social skill, I knew it was not a good idea to tell her that I overheard the conversation that she had had with Shadow.

"I uh... I came back because... I don't think I'm fit to protect you."

The very first thing that came to my mind, except for harsh and selfish replies. She finally let go of me.

"What are you talking about? If someone can protect me, it's you!"

I lowered my head, not sure what to believe. Rouge's voice became more soft as she continued talking.

"Besides, you already saved me..."

She lifted her head, seemingly filled with resolve.

"Come back with me, alright? I feel so much better when you are around, and I barely can imagine how my life would be without you-"

Her eyes widened, and she looked into my eyes, probably trying to know what sort of feelings I had. I knew I had saved her life once, but it was no reason for her to act as if she was overly grateful for that.

"Okay... I'm sorry I left without telling you."

She smiled, apparently very happy.

She did not seem like a threat at all, and I did not really want to hurt her. I decided that for once, just for once, I could refrain from acting too quickly. I probably could afford the time to think about the whole situation. I was hoping for all of this to be nothing more than a huge mistake of which I scarcely understood anything.

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter. Do not hesitate to send me a review, oh, how happy that would make this poor writer!


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